Audible safety signal for electrical apparatus



Jan. 23, 1934. ANDERSON 1,944,627

AUDIBLE SAFETY SIGNAL FOR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Filed 001). 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 THE 000/?5 A NDEE'SU/V.

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Jan. 23, 1934. T. ANDERSON 1,944,627

AUDIBLE SAFETY SIGNAL FOR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Filed Oct. 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F/gm Attorney Patented Jan. 23, 1934 STATES FFICE AUDIBLE SAFETY SIGNAL FOR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS 3 Claims.

My invention in general is included. among those designed as and for safety signals adaptable to electrical devices, and belongs to that class.

The object of my invention in particular is to provide an automatic, audible safety signal device arranged and adapted to be included within and about an electrical terminal connection of common type usually called a plug. In my invention I arrange an electro-magnetic apparatus with an armature producing a buzzing sound.

This apparatus is operated by electric energy supplied through the plug to a coil which induces the required magnetism. From the plug a controlling lever extends which is manually operated to press an armature into engagement with the coil core, and when released, automatically to allow the apparatus to operate audibly. I attain these objects, as well as other advantages, by

I i the construction, combination and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof.

Fig. I is a side view of an electric sad-iron of common type with rear socket and service plug in position therein and my device shown in and about the plug.

Fig. II is a rear elevation of same with part of the plug casing removed and my device shown therein.

Fig. III is a side elevation of a sad-iron as in the control lever of my device to stop the signal.

Fig. IV is an enlarged View of part of the plug casing showing openings therein to allow sound from my device to escape from within the plug.

Fig. V is an enlarged side view of the rearward portion of the control lever, showing an insulating shoe thereon.

Fig. VI is a side elevation showing a sad-iron in dotted lines without rear supports, and the plug device in position thereon with its means of support for said iron.

Fig. VII is a plan view of supporting clip secured to the plug.

Fig. VIII is an end view of same clip.

Fig. IX is a side elevation of like sad-iron as in Fig. V1 with plug device thereon, and a supporting stand for the iron with a spring clip secured to same arranged and adapted to engage the plug lever as illustrated.

Fig. X is a front elevation of the spring clip.

Like characters refer to like parts in all views.

A sad-iron A and an electrical connection plug B, each of common type, are shown. Transmission wires 1 and 1a extend in a cord 1b from an electrical power source to terminals 2 and 2a which engage the common type terminals of the Fig. set upright and tilted to a position allowing sad-iron A. Within the plug casing there is positioned a frame 3, an arm 4 of same being rigidly secured to a core 5. In the opposite part of the frame 3 an armature 6 is pivoted in a position to extend over the opposing end of the core 5. A strap spring 7 is secured at one of its ends to lower surface of the armature 6. The wire la has thereon the intermediate connected coil 5a positioned about the core 5. A lever 8 is pivotally mounted near one end in the plug casing on a pin 9. The portion or" this lever which is over the armature has an insulation shoe l0 thereon, positioned to engage the armature when the lever is depressed. A spring 11 is placed in the casing of the plug B to engage the lever, automatically 7 raise its free end and allow the shoe 10 to rise from the armature, and thereby release the latter to operation with the core 5.

The lever 8 has a pin 12 on its under surface near the free end positioned to enter a recess 13 in the handle of the sad-iron when the lever is depressed and thus prevent lateral play of the lever. The lever 8 may also have an arm 14 on its free end adapted to extend at right angle over the forward end of a sad-iron. This arm 8 is thus placed to prevent material upon which the iron is used from getting under the lever. The rear part of the lever 8 is formed to produce a heel 15 which will engage a horizontal plane upon which the sad-iron is placed in upright position and thereby depress the lever 8 to stop the signal as illustrated in Fig. III.

Insulating material 16 is placed about both ends of the core 5 and adjacent to the coil 5a to act as barriers against short circuit of electric current from the wires 1 and la. One face of the plug B casing is provided with a convenient series of openings 1? to allow sound from the apparatus to escape from the casing.

In Fig. I is shown a service cord support, consisting of a tubular sleeve 18 upon the cord lb, an eye 19 on the plug B and a cord 20 connecting the sleeve 18 and the eye 19. The arrangement of the lever control and apparatus is such that tension upon the cord and its wires 1 and la 100 should be reduced to prevent the continual reversal of stress at the point where cord enters the plug, and prevent crystallizing of wire. It also takes the place of the ordinary coiled wire guard.

It is well known that some sad-irons do not have rear supporting means to retain them in an upright tilted position, and supporting stands are provided on which they may be placed as illustrated in Fig. IX. To provide for this, the 110 plug B, as shown upon the form of sad-iron C, has a clip 21 rigidly secured upon the plug. The free portion of said clip extends outwardly from the plug to form supports 22. These are arranged and adapted to engage a horizontal surface aligned with the lever heel 15 when the iron is tilted in upright position as shown in Fig. VI. In Fig. IX a stand 23 is shown. If the operator desires to use the stand and not place the iron in tilted position, it is obvious that the lever 8 must be depressed in some other manner. An upright rigid bar 24 is positioned on the forward end of the stand 23. Upon the upper part of the bar 24 a slidable spring clip 25 is positioned, with fastening means 26. The free end of the clip is arranged so that when the iron is slid forwardly upon the stand 23 the lever 8 comes into engagement with the clip 25, the lever is depressed and the signal ceases to operate.

The operation will now be explained. The elector-magnetic apparatus is of a common type, a service current being supplied through a coil intermediately positioned and connected on one transmission wire and with the plug terminal of the opposite one, to provide induced magnetism in a core within the coil. An alternating current from the power source passing through the coil causes the armature, aided by its spring, to oscillate in the manner typical of the electric mechanism illustrated. In this manner a very rapid oscillating movement of the armature is produced and the sound which ensues from it is that commonly known as a buzzer. The lever is depressed upon the handle of the iron when both are grasped by the hand to use the iron. It will be seen that this allows the shoe 10 of the lever to engage the armature and depress the latter into engagement with the core so that the armature is then retained in nonoscillating position, emitting no sound. The same thing occurs when the iron is placed upright on a horizontal surface and the heel 15 of the lever, engaging the surface, allows depression of the lever as shown in Fig. III. When the lever is released from depression, the spring on its lower surface presses the lever outwardly and its shoe is thereby released from engagement with the armature thus automatically allowing the latter to'operate freely as before mentioned and give forth an audible warning signal that the service current is still flowing through the heating apparatus of the iron. The operations of the plug supporting clip 21 and the spring clip 25 are hereinbefore sufficiently described.

The insulating material is placed about the coil, and a shoe of the same material on the lever, as barriers against possible short circuit of electrical current from the service wires into the lever and thereby causing personal injury or property damage. It is well known that governmental authorities, and in particular those administering matters afiecting fire risks, as also the fire insurance underwriters controlling fire insurance, are very strict in requirements for protection against all possible fire hazards. My attention having been directed to these matters I have sought to overcome the hazards by the new and useful protecting insulation incorporated and shown. The authorities administering regulations for safeguard of human life do not allow use of apparatus involving danger thereby. For this reason also the insulation is new and useful in my device. As the signal apparatus involves additional equipment in the plug and in connection with the transmission wires, it is realized that the strain on the cord containing these wires should be minimized as a further protection against disarrangement of my device and the wires, so that all may be rendered safe and continuously operable. A series of small openings in the plug casing will aid emission of sound from the buzzer, thereby increasing sound volume and intensity so that the warning signal may be heard more distinctly and at greater distance from the plug and the iron. Many fires are caused by negligence or accident in handling or leaving electrical apparatus, such as sad-irons, with heaters therein, in places where combustion may be started from them in other substances with which they are in contact. To overcome these human errors, an audible signal of warning is most eihcient. Different plugs containing my signal and lever switch may be manufactured in convenient quantities, adapted to fit and operate as described in the various types of sadirons mostly used, thus supplying a selling stock of required plugs at moderate cost. Plugs having my device therein can be manufactured very economically and supply a large measure of safety in the use of electrical apparatus, greatly to be desired. The device is therefore new and useful.

I claim:

1. In an electric plug of the character described, adapted to be received within the socket of an electric fiat-iron of common type, the combination of; a buzzer in the plug connected with the plug circuit wires, said buzzer having a vibrating armature, a trigger, said trigger being hinged near one of its ends within the plug, the other end of the trigger extending outwardly in a position to be adjacent to but normally spaced above the handle of the fiat-iron when the plug is connected therewith, whereby said trigger is depressed upon the handle when both are grasped, means on the trigger to engage said buzzer armature when said trigger is depressed, to prevent oscillation of said armature, and means biasing the trigger to a non-checking position when released.

2. In an electric plug of the character described, adapted to be received within the socket of an electric flat-iron of common type, the combination of; a buzzer in the plug connected with the plug circuit wires, said buzzer having a vibrating armature, a trigger, said trigger being hinged near one of its ends within the plug, the other end of the trigger extending outwardly in a position to be adjacent to but normally spaced above the handle of the flatiron when the plug is connected therewith, whereby said trigger is depressed upon the handle when both are grasped, means on the trigger to engage said buzzer armature when said trigger is depressed, to prevent oscillation of said armature, means biasing the trigger to a non-checking position when released, and an integral part of said trigger extending outwardly therefrom whereby it forms part of a supporting means of the fiatiron when the plug is connected therewith and the flat-iron is in an upright resting position.

3. In an electric plug of the character described, adapted to be received within the socket of an electric fiat-iron of common type, the combination of; a buzzer in the plug connected with the plug circuit wires, said buzzer having a vibrating armature, a trigger, said trigger being hinged near one of its ends within the plug, the other end of the trigger extending outwardly in a position to be adjacent to but normally spaced above the handle of the fiat-iron when the plug the plug and extending outwardly therefrom when the plug is connected with the flat-iron, whereby said clip forms a part of the support of the flat-iron when the latter is in an upright resting position.

THEODORE ANDERSON. 

